Article January 13, 2003 Issue

GAMBLING: Does it pay or does it cost?

Steve Carlson with contributions from Lamar Smith, William E. Moody

IN A RECENT EDITION of Sentinel Radio, four people explored the relative benefits and costs of public gaming. Producer Steve Carlson discussed the issue first with US Congressman Lamar Smith, and then with William E. Moody, a practitioner and teacher of Christian Science. Two other guests on the program shared their experiences of confronting the gambling issue on a personal level.

Steve Carlson: Congressman Smith, a number of states are looking at the possibilities of gambling as a remedy for budget shortfalls. Do you see that as a remedy?

Lamar Smith: To tell you the truth, I don't really see gambling revenues as much of remedy for anything. I think we need to remember that it's not free money. This isn't a panacea. The money is coming from someone, and more often than not, it's coming disproportionately from those who can least afford it. I know in Texas it's the bottom two percent of income earners who actually buy ten percent of the lottery tickets, and I think you're going to find that is true across the country, almost regardless of the jurisdiction or the type of gambling.

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